Superlative Primary Mirrors
The largest optical telescope in the world as of 2009 to use a non-segmented single-mirror as its primary mirror is the 8.2 m (8.7 yards) Subaru telescope of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, located in Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawaii since 1997; however, this is not the largest diameter single mirror in a telescope, the U.S./German/Italian Large Binocular Telescope has two 8.4 m (9.2 yards) mirrors (which can be used together for interferometric mode). Both of these are smaller than the 10 m segmented primary mirrors on the two Keck telescope. Radio and submillimeter telescopes use much larger dishes or antennae, which do not have to be made as precisely as the mirrors used in optical telescopes. The Hubble Space Telescope has a 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) primary mirror.
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Famous quotes containing the words superlative, primary and/or mirrors:
“You say there is no religion now. ‘Tis like saying in rainy weather, there is no sun, when at that moment we are witnessing one of his superlative effects.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.”
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“At bottom, man mirrors himself in things; he considers everything beautiful that reflects his own image: the judgment “beautiful” is the vanity of his species.”
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